DENVER — The noise was deafening when Gabriel Landeskog was introduced for his first game back with the Avalanche since the 2022 Stanley Cup. An ovation that could have been mistaken for a championship celebration, after 1,032 days, the captain had finally returned and the Avs faithful could not have been more ecstatic to welcome him home.
Leading up to Game 3 against the Stars, there was an energy in the building that could be felt long before the puck was dropped. It was a sea of 92 jerseys in the stands, and the excitement to see one of the team’s all-time greats had everybody buzzing with anticipation. Fans packed the glass 45 minutes before the game just hoping to secure a good spot to see him take the ice. Chants of “Landy” echoed throughout the stadium during pregame warmups. It was an all-out jamboree in honor of a man who simply refused to quit the sport that he’s always loved.
“It was amazing,” Landeskog said postgame. “I don’t know. I’m just blessed and very fortunate to be in a position to feel those feelings.”
The 32-year-old forward continued, explaining that he doesn’t even really know what was going through his body and mind at the time, but that the special response he received from the crowd was a memory of a lifetime.
“The Avs faithful, they make it special. It’s a special place to play. It’s a special place to live and raise a family. And obviously the last three years have been difficult at times. To come back and feel that love, I mean, incredible. It means a lot.”
Landeskog reflected on getting to play in front of his young children, joking that they probably thought he was lying this whole time about playing professional hockey. “I really do,” he said with a smile. Now four and five years old, though, the Landeskog children got to see just how beloved their father truly is on Wednesday night.
“It just puts in perspective how much time has passed, I guess, right? So it’s very special,” Landeskog explained.
“Obviously, hockey was my first love, and my kids are supporting me and cheering me on. And I think it’s cool. I think my son has a little bit of that in him as well. He seems to be liking the sport. So, yeah, pretty sweet moment there.”
While the 2-1 overtime loss was a gut wrencher — the Avs have now lost back-to-back matchups in OT despite only trailing for a total of 62 seconds in regulation — the silver lining of the night was that Landeskog’s return was not a publicity stunt. He legitimately played well and showed no signs of limitation. Landeskog was his typical physical self and even led Colorado in hits. Less than 30 seconds into the game, he straight up leveled his long-time teammate Mikko Rantanen, who obviously now plays for Dallas. The team as a whole needs to perform much better, especially on the power play, but Landy looked pretty impressive considering how much time he missed.
“I was really happy with the way he played,” Jared Bednar said postgame.
The veteran Avalanche coach praised how physical Landeskog was, as well as how involved he was in multiple aspects of the game. He said that he was pleasantly surprised by the poise Landeskog showed with the puck and how he was able to make plays out there. The game is fast and there is very little room on the ice. But Bednar felt that Landeskog looked relaxed and made a lot of strong plays.
Unsurprisingly, a humble Landeskog told reporters that he’d like to play better but that overall he felt pretty good about his performance. In terms of the speed of the game and just how his legs feel, the Avs captain was encouraged. But he feels that his timing and ability to execute should improve as he gets more games underneath his belt.
“That’s one of the positives is that there’s a lot of areas of improvement,” he said. “So I’m looking forward to it. I think every game it’s going to continue to get better. And I think the same goes for our team.”
When asked what his message to the team is as the leader in the locker room, after a tough way to go down, Landeskog made it clear that there are a lot of things that need to be improved for the Avalanche. He mentioned the power play struggles and how the group lacked structure. He brought up issues setting things up in the zone, too. But the important thing is that they need to grow from it and respond in Game 4.
“It’s not the outcome we wanted, but that’s the way it goes. And that’s playoff hockey. You’ve got to have a short memory and let it go and move on,” Landeskog said.
“It’s a seven-game series for a reason,” Bednar later added.
Regardless of the final outcome, Landeskog’s return is one of the more unique storylines in NHL history. He could have given up so many times and not a soul would have faulted him for it. But Landeskog said it himself, the ice is where he is comfortable. In the arena, with his skates laced and his pads on, that’s where he belongs. Not in a suite up high with a suit on.
There is work to be done. There’s no doubt about that. But this night was bigger than just one single outcome.
Welcome back, cap. It’s been far too long.
